Kenya has many beautiful and exciting safari destinations. You might be confused on where to start considering all of them sound and look exciting. Well, I have been to most of these destinations and I will give you my top 5. At least these will give you a starting point, right?

1. Maasai Mara National Reserve

If you love the wild, Maasai Mara National Reserve is definitely the place for you. The landscape, the vegetation, the animals and the birds will take your breath away. In the Mara you will enjoy game drives, game walks and hot-air balloon safaris. If you have always dreamt of enjoying breakfast or any meal in the wild surrounded by beautiful landscape and animals, Maasai Mara is the place to make this dream come true. In addition, hot-air balloon rides are offered to those who wish to have an aerial view of the Mara. A Maasai Mara National Reserve safari will also give you the satisfaction of witnessing the wildebeest migration. Enjoy a cultural visit to the Maasai villages where you will be entertained and treated to a glimpse of their beautiful culture. Some of the animals in the Mara include lions, elephants, rhinoceros, antelopes, cheetahs, crocodiles etc. and over 500 bird species.

2. Mombasa

Mombasa is a town found in Coastal Kenya. It is famous for being home to the Indian Ocean. If palm tree-lined beach safaris fascinate you, Mombasa is the town to visit. There are many beaches in Mombasa that will give you the pleasure of enjoying various beach activities. Just as with the Mara where you enjoy bush meals, in Mombasa you will enjoy beach meals; beach breakfast/lunch/dinner. Imagine a dinner set up in the open white beach with beautiful stars in the sky, surrounded by candles, the sound of water waves in the Indian Ocean and beautiful cool music playing in the background; this is magical! In Mombasa, you will enjoy beach activities like beach walks, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, beach games, sky diving, boat rides, deep sea fishing and jet-skiing. Other activities include food tasting (Swahili dishes) and historical site visits.

3. The Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley is renowned for being home to some of the best safari destinations in Kenya. The floor of the Rift Valley hosts lakes and parks that you must visit. The scenic landscapes which comprise of valleys, hills and large stretches of grassland and other vegetation are a sight to behold. Visit Lake Nakuru National Park which is home to thousands of flamingos and other animals, Lake Naivasha; famous for bird-watching and boat riding, Lake Elementaita; famous for bird-watching, Lake Bogoria; renowned for geysers that erupt water up to 5 meters into the air and thousands of flamingos and Lake Turkana; the largest permanent desert lake in the world. If you love hiking, Mt. Longonot which is said to be an active volcano (no, it’s not erupting any time soon) will give you a memorable experience. Cyclist lovers will enjoy a visit to Hells’ Gate National Park. It is also home to spectacular gorges, landscapes and animal species. The Great Rift Valley offers you this and much more!

4. Amboseli National Park

When you think of the African Elephant, Amboseli should come to your mind. Amboseli National Park is home to over 900 African Elephants. What’s more is that Amboseli National Park gives you the most beautiful view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. The park’s plain grassland is spectacular and is an amazing ground for photography lovers. Amboseli National Park is also renowned for being home to the endangered black rhino. Other animals found here include lions, antelopes, leopards, buffalos and various bird species.

5. Mount Kenya region

A Kenya safari would not be complete if you do not visit Mt. Kenya. Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa. The mountain is famous for being one of the most visited hiking destinations in Africa. Apart from this, the mountain has incredible vegetation, rivers/streams, beautiful lakes and diverse wildlife. Mt. Kenya also provides grounds for camping lovers. Animals here include elephants, waterbucks, rhinos, baboons, monkeys, buffalos and antelopes among others.

These are just some of my favorite places. There are many more safari destinations. Enjoy your visit!